In aircraft applications, a cabin telecommunications unit (CTU) is an aircraft telephone switching center that provides automatic switching service to airborne users of air-to-ground radio, satellite, and cabin resources. The CTU, for example, may interface to such airborne devices as North American Telephone System (NATS) airborne radio controllers, European Terrestrial Flight Telecommunications System (TFTS) radios, Satellite communication (Satcom) systems, aircraft cabin telephone zone interfaces, and cabin management systems.
Heretofore, central controllers such as CTUs have been interfaced to the airborne devices by means of point-to-point hard-wiring. Establishing such hard-wired interfaces is time-consuming and inefficient. Moreover, if a problem develops in one of the hard-wired interfaces, pinpointing the problem is generally a tedious and laborious task. Furthermore, maintenance personnel typically must repair the problem on the aircraft itself, as opposed to repairing the problem in a maintenance facility. Airlines are generally averse to maintenance personnel making the repairs while on the aircraft itself, especially when such repairs are time-consuming.
A need therefore exists for an avionic connector interface distribution unit which overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings associated with interfaces employing point-to-point hard-wiring.